Box-couch.



Patented July I8, |899.

No Model.)

.TOIIN I'IOEY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA..

BOX-COUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 629,034, dated July 18, 1899. Application filed April 27, 1899. Serial No. l714,621. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN IIOEY, a citizen' of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Box- Couches; and I hereby declare the following to be a fullclear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to improvements in box-couches, sofa-beds, bed-lounges, andlike structures in which a containing box or base is the foundation for the superstructure.

lt consists, essentially, of a box-base, to which the seat portion of the superstructure is hinged along the rear edge, said box and said seat portion having the fronts designed to overlap and interlock with each other in such a manner as to form a continuous line of curvature from the bottom to the top.

It further comprises details of construction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of my boxcouch, showing` the extension open. Fig. E2 is a longitudinal elevation.

In the construction of couches, sofa-beds, bed-lounges, and the like articles in which a containing box or base is employed it has hitherto been difficult to connect the seat and upper portion with this box-base in such a manner as to provide for the necessary graceful configuration of the front. The box has usually extended up to its full height with the vertical sides and ends and the arm or arms of the lounge, sofa, or other superstructure must have been constructed to accommodate themselves to this formation, with the result of making the articles very ugly in appearance. There has also been a difficulty in controlling the upper part when it is turned back about its hinges to obtain access to the interior, it always being in danger ofeither falling forward or backward, and the straps or cords which are sometimes employed to prevent its going over backward present no obstacle to its closing and endangering the one who is removing or introducing articles in the box.

In my construction, A is a box of suitable length and breadth adapted to contain bedclothing or such other articles as may be desired, and to the rear of this box is hinged the krear rail B of the seat portion of the article.

In order to provide for the gradual merging of the outline of the-front of the box and that of the arm D of the structure, so as to provide a graceful form, I have shown the front and rear sides of the box extended, as shown at A', the extension curving gradually outward from the bottom toward the top and having a supplemental strip A2 between the projecting ends of these extensions. The arm D, which is built up as shown, has the outer end curved, and a portion D' extends below the bottom of the rail of the superstructure, so that when closed together the rail B will rest upon the front edge of the box A, w'hile the extension D passes down beyond the end of the extension A', overlapping it and incidentally lying closely along the bar A2, which joins the projecting ends A'. When thus closed, the curvature of the meeting parts, which may be in the form 0f an ogee or other desired graceful curve, Will be continuous from the top of the arm to the bottom of the base, and the intersectingline of the two may be covered with an ornamental molding or other suitable or desired device. The length and weight of these devices are such that there is a tendency to work endwise, so that the parts will not always come in proper alinement. This is partially overcome by the overlapping ends A D.' and, further, by the employment of a rigid link E, which, as shown in the present case, is curved in the form of an are, the upper end of which is loosely pivoted upon the interior of the head portion D of the superstructure. The opposite end of the segment has a notch formed in it, as shown at e, and beyond this notch the end of the segment is extended, so as to form a stop, as follows: o

F isa stout loop which is fixed to the interiorof the end of the box and which forms a guide through which the curved segment is slidable. The segment as here shown is attached with the convex curvature toward the rear and'its convexity slidable in the guideloop, as shown. When the superstructure is lifted for the purpose of obtaining access to the box, the link slides in the guide-loop until the lower end has reached the loop, when it will drop by gravitation, so that the notch IOO engages the bottom of the loop, and thus retains the superstructure in its tilted and elevated position. The enlarged end E of the segment prevents its being pulled through the loop, while thenotch equallyprevents the top from dropping back again after it has been elevated, and the curvature of the link will cause the notch to engage the loop by gravitation when the top has been raised.

To close the upper part upon the box, it is only necessary to lift the notch out of engagement with the loop, and the segment will then slide through the guide-loop, allowing the device to close. This link may also, if desired, be of sufficient rigidity to form a sort of inner bracing-plate, which when the parts of the device are closed together will lie along the inner side ot' the box, while the downward extension D of the arm lies along the outer end, and the end of the box thus projects up between the two, so that when closed' it is prevented from any twisting end motion. It will be obvious, however, that a cross strip or bar upon the seat portion may also be extended down, so as to close into the box, and thus form a guide and brace when the box is closed.

By means of the rigid link I provide a latch which will render the device perfectly safe for any one to handle, since it locks itself automatically when the box is opened, Iand it cannot be disengaged by any casual touch, but must be actually pulled out of engagement with the loop before the upper part can be again closed upon the box.

Having thus described inyinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination in a couch or like structure of a box-base, having the upper portion of the end extended beyond the vertical line thereof, and a correspondingly-extended curved front, a seat, the rear of which is hinged to said base and the front closable in line with the front of the box, an arm forming an extension upwardly from the seat, said arm having a downwardly-projecting extension which overlaps the extension of the box end, and a front, the curvature ot' which is coincident and continuous with that of the box end.

2. In a couch, a box-base having the upper portion of the end extended beyond the main vertical end of the box, a transverse uniting-strip between the projecting ends, a seat, the rear edge of which is hinged to the base, said seat having an arm extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom from the end, with a downwardly-depending projection which overlaps the end of the box extension and a front for the arm and the box having a continuous line of reverse curvature from the top of the arm to the bottom of the box.

3. A couch comprising a box or base having the end extended beyond the Vertical end of the box, a seat having its rear edge hinged to the base having an arm extending from the end with a depending portion overlapping and interlocking with the projecting end of the box, a concave-convex link having one end pivoted to the inner portion of the seatframe and slidable within a link or loop fixed to the interior of the end of the base, an enlargement or stop formed upon the free end of the link to prevent its being withdrawn from the loop and a notch interior to said stop adapted to engage the loop by gravitation when the seat has been raised whereby the seat is retained in its elevated position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN HOEY.

IVitnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, Guo. Il. STRONG. 

